started carb rebuild- question

[emeraldcoupe]

started to rebuild/clean the 550 carbs. bought the can of gunk brand carb dip, works real good. anyway, is it absolutley necessary to drive the needle jet out of the carb body or will the carb dip be enough to get it clean? thanks!

[Nessism]

I'd try to get it out. If it is not loose try soaking the carbs for a while and/or put a heat gun on the carb body, heat does a great job of softening up varnish.

Good luck.

[loungeguy69]

Honestly you need to take the carbs apart to clean them properly if there's evidence of sludge or varnish. It's way better to do it now than face the problems of half-clean carbs later. The needles need to be spotless since it's crucial that they slide up and down easily into the main jets.

Tearing carbs down is intimidating the first time but when you've done it once you'll be ok. I just tore mine apart after they sat for ~2 years. Get your hands on a Clymer or Haynes manual (or a factory manual if possible) and it'll show you how.

BTW, hot water and dishwasher soap is da bomb for cleaning sludge. Fill a cat litter tray, or similar, and let the parts soak for a while then rinse.

[emeraldcoupe]

Honestly you need to take the carbs apart to clean them properly if there's evidence of sludge or varnish. It's way better to do it now than face the problems of half-clean carbs later. The needles need to be spotless since it's crucial that they slide up and down easily into the main jets.

Tearing carbs down is intimidating the first time but when you've done it once you'll be ok. I just tore mine apart after they sat for ~2 years. Get your hands on a Clymer or Haynes manual (or a factory manual if possible) and it'll show you how.

BTW, hot water and dishwasher soap is da bomb for cleaning sludge. Fill a cat litter tray, or similar, and let the parts soak for a while then rinse.

the carbs are completely torn down already and soaking in the carb dip, except the needle jets. not intimidating at all. these things are so simple it's silly i'll go get a wooden dowel and remove the needle jets tomorrow. thanks guys.

[Baatfam]

not intimidating at all. these things are so simple it's silly

Yup....many people act like there is some great mystical thing about these carbs...but really...they are pretty basic....
Not even that many parts....

[loungeguy69]

Rock on brother. Sounds like you know what you're doing so go for it.

These carbs should be used to teach kids at tech school how fuel systems work.

[Nessism]

the carbs are completely torn down already and soaking in the carb dip, except the needle jets. not intimidating at all. these things are so simple it's silly i'll go get a wooden dowel and remove the needle jets tomorrow. thanks guys.

Try heat before you go banging on stuff. Had some stuck slides in my old VM carbs and the slides fell out under their own weight with heat.

Good luck.

[emeraldcoupe]

i let the carb body soak overnight then used the dowel. came right out. glad i did it, they are nasty even after soaking.

[Headphase]

ok, total carb newbie here. You lot can sort me out when I bugger up stripping, cleaning and rebuilding the spare set of carbs I just bought.
Thanks in advance.

[emeraldcoupe]

just got carb 3 apart for cleaning. the washer under the main jet is missing. is it a special washer or can i just get one at the hardware store?

[emeraldcoupe]

carb 4 will come out of the dip tomorrow and i'll reassemble the carbs. should have them back on the bike thursday. i still can't believe how nasty they were inside. bike should run great now

[GQROD]

The washers i believe are copper, nothing special that i'm aware of just make sure the new ones you get are the same thickness as the old ones so the needle will seat well with the jet. Check lowes first then ACE hardware they may have it in their plumbing sections.

hope this helps.

[emeraldcoupe]

Try heat before you go banging on stuff. Had some stuck slides in my old VM carbs and the slides fell out under their own weight with heat.

Good luck.

after a few hours in the dip they almost slid out by themselves.

[loungeguy69]

Glad hear everything's clean now. Carbs are one of the things that can't really be done halfway since they're almost the heart of the bike.

My 1100 is ready to rock after a good carb job too. If only the battery would hold a charge...

[emeraldcoupe]

took carb 4 out today. reassembled them all and re racked them. they are all back together except carb 1, waiting on a pilot jet, will be in tomorrow according to the shop. also changed the intake O rings. should be able to fire it up tomorrow afternoon and take it for a ride.

the gunk brand carb dip i used works great, everything inside looks like new now. cost me $18 at the local auto parts place.